Adaptation mechanisms of globally successful marine cyanobacteria

Cyanobacteria are the most abundant photosynthetic organisms on the planet. To adapt to the highly varied physical and chemical marine environment, cyanobacteria use diverse strategies that allows them to thrive in many aquatic habitats, including the vast nutrient-depleted gyres of the low latitude oceans.

Your project will take a molecular approach to understanding this ecological success story. You will characterise and compare molecular systems that are suited to study adaptation strategies. To understand adaptation is a highly interdisciplinary scientific challenge; this project will include fieldwork study, developing an understanding of the biogeochemistry of the oceans, and include the study of the biochemistry of specific molecular machines.

A primary target of this PhD is iron homeostasis: iron uptake systems and selected key enzymes that are upregulated under iron limitation are to be studied, starting with housekeeping enzymes such as metal dependent fructose 1,6-bisphosphate aldolase.

The reward of a molecular approach is not only a better understanding of adaptation strategies but also the application of this knowledge for developing future technologies or efficient processes. This might include novel and highly efficient proteins, both in function and structure, and optimised enzymes that can be used as a molecular tool-kit.